WIMBLEDON: Former Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic has pulled out of the tournament for the second year in a row, championship officials said on Sunday.

The big-serving lefthander, who had a storybook victory two years ago as the first wild card to win a Grand Slam tournament, sustained a knee injury while practicing with Croatian teammate Mario Ancic earlier this week.

That came after he had lost to Jan Vacek at the Queens Court grass court championship in London on Monday.

Wimbledon starts on June 23 and the colourful Croatian star, whose career has been plagued by shoulder, knee and foot problems, doesn't think he will be fit in time. His withdrawal puts a question mark over his career and might bring forward his retirement at age 31.

This is such a shame. Poor Goran has had such a terrible time physically since 2001, but it looked like that had all come to an end at last this year.
I was looking forward to him walking out on court at Wimbledon again at last, even if it turned out to be his last ever match as he had intimated.
I really hope he doesn't retire, but given that he appears to be falling to bits, it looks horribly likely.
Fingers crossed for a recovery and a few appearances somewhere this year.
Still, whatever happens, he is still the most memorable Wimbledon Champion ever. I for one will never forget the atmosphere on centre court on 9 July 2001, and we can be sure he will never forget that day either.
Emma :(

I thought I would post a message now since it's 10:30pm and the Australian coverage of Wimbledon is just beginning. Of course the TV is showing snippets from last year's final where (Aussie) Lleyton Hewitt won. I will never forget this time last year I sat on the lounge with my dad and they make all the footage so sentimental - the big imposing gate, slow-motion of the two players entering the court, that as soon as I saw Goran I started crying coz I was so sad he wasn't there to being playing first match on opening court as the defending champion. I'm such a sook!

Radda Wrote:Do you think he will attend Wimbledon? Just to hang around and watch some matches?

I thought I would post a message now since it's 10:30pm and the Australian coverage of Wimbledon is just beginning. Of course the TV is showing snippets from last year's final where (Aussie) Lleyton Hewitt won. I will never forget this time last year I sat on the lounge with my dad and they make all the footage so sentimental - the big imposing gate, slow-motion of the two players entering the court, that as soon as I saw Goran I started crying coz I was so sad he wasn't there to being playing first match on opening court as the defending champion. I'm such a sook! :(

But if it's any consolation Lleyton's first match is against another Croatian (I'm not very patriotic, am I? :o)

Anyway part of me thinks that as long as Goran's not playing in this Wimbledon, that's one more year of his career coz he'll wait and bow out this time next year. But if that's not true then in a way it means his career ended on winning Wimbledon, if you don't count the smaller satellite tournaments he's played since then.

In answer to your question, Radda -

Radda Wrote:Do you think he will attend Wimbledon? Just to hang around and watch some matches?

- this time last year I would have said no, coz I remember reading an article where he said that would 'rub it in' too much, that he'd rather go back as rightful champion... but this year I guess maybe he will, since I read an article where he said he might go for the free strawberries and cream ;)

By the way, I forgot to log in for that previous post, so in case you were wondering - it was me, Julieanne! :)

And also - I was just remembering how last year Wimbledon kept getting rained out and the best bit was that during one of the rain breaks they showed the big, long, some-days-after-the-Final champion interview that the BBC did with Goran! :)

Julieanne Wrote:By the way, I forgot to log in for that previous post, so in case you were wondering - it was me, Julieanne! &nbsp;:) &nbsp;

And also - I was just remembering how last year Wimbledon kept getting rained out and the best bit was that during one of the rain breaks they showed the big, long, some-days-after-the-Final champion interview that the BBC did with Goran! :)

Ah I wondered who it was ;) Ivo Karlovic v Lleyton Hewitt - what a great match!! Did you watch it? Unbelievable! Another great Croatian player :)

they try and they try but everything that they do
is the ghost of a trace of a pale imitation of you

Radda Wrote:Ah I wondered who it was ;) Ivo Karlovic v Lleyton Hewitt - what a great match!! Did you watch it? Unbelievable! Another great Croatian player :)

I did indeed watch it - hey, how 'on-the-mark' (on the ball... tennis pun... hahaha :D ) was I when I said I would be going to be unpatriotic and barrack for a Croatian? I think I jinxed Lleyton - but I mean, fancy a defending champ and top seed going out in the first round, what's more!

I currently have Agassi vs Phillipoussis on TV. Will probably go with my patriotism there though... :cool: